


these hands could hold the world

by Ushio



Category: Zero Escape (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Light Angst, Post-Canon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma, honestly just akane being akane and junpei loving her because of it and despite it, they love each-other so much it's not even cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 22:40:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15828387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ushio/pseuds/Ushio
Summary: Junpei sets Akane's fears at ease.





	these hands could hold the world

**Author's Note:**

> this is very short and there's not even a plot! just a little schmoopy scene. i wrote this for a friend and i really liked how it turned so why not share it with the fandom. hope you enjoy it! <3 
> 
> (title from "never enough" from the greatest showman ost!)

Akane keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop. She knows it’s bound to happen, it always is. Sooner or later she will _do_ something or say something that will trip Junpei up, and that will be it. That’s when he’ll leave. Because she walks on such thin ice; because she knows better than to expect a thousand sacrifices with nothing to give in exchange; because her life is not her own. Never has been, since she was a child. Her life is for the betterment of the world: for the promise of another future. And whatever (whoever) she has to sacrifice to get there... it’s just collateral.

Junpei knows this. Knows and understands that he will always come second in her heart. And she knows that he knows. But they never speak about it, not even when they plan their tentative, ever-fragile future. As they make promises to one-another and plan a wedding that might never come to happen, she wonders why he stays. Wonders why he puts up with anything she has ever done. She, who has only caused him suffering for such a long time. She who can’t ever commit fully to him and him only.

The very moment the world comes crashing at her door, she will leave him for it.

They know.

And yet, he stays. Relentlessly loyal. Steadfast in his love. Devoted.

It’s not fair.

She tells him so after a long, sleepless night. She has been plagued by the usual nightmares; the stench of burning flesh and smoke and scorching, white-hot pain. As she wakes, mouth turned to ashes and her body quivering from the heat, Junpei kisses the flames out of her, as if drinking her fear. He’s cold to the touch; solid; real. She clings to him for dear life, trying and failing to reign her skittish, bloodless heart. It is then that she asks. In the early morning, covered in sweat, trembling from head to toe—ready to unravel and fray at his very touch.

She wants to die if only for a moment. She wishes for the dream to end.

“Why do you stay?” She asks. “It’s not fair. You don’t deserve this, I—”

“Neither do you,” he whispers into her hair.

She stills.

“This just—can’t be real. It’ll end. I’ll wake up. I always wake up. And you—“

_Will be gone._

Akane doesn’t recognize her own voice. It seems to come from out of her body; from another timeline perhaps; from another world where she does have the courage to talk about such things. She waits for him to anger, to splinter, to break apart at her fear. To accuse her of weakness; of sabotaging their relationship; of not trying hard enough; of not trying at all. (She knows, deep-down, she is projecting—dreaming in his voice everything she hates about herself).

Junpei caresses her cheek. His fingers are as cold as ice; she leans into him and looks up to his eyes. Unreadable in the darkness. As tender as the night.

“I feel the same,” he answers, his voice low and rough. He’s smiling. “Every moment with you feels like a dream. I keep thinking I’m gonna wake up any minute now and you will be gone. Dead.” His smile drops and he draws her closer. Nearer. Akane rests her head against his chest, seeking the steady beat of his heart.

As he beats for her, she listens.

“But that’s the thing about our lives, isn’t? That we never know how long we’ll be here for. At any given moment we could be replaced by a SHIFter from another timeline. Gone in a blink. And maybe tomorrow I won’t be me and you won’t be you anymore. Maybe we will be another Junpei and another Akane from a different time and place. But as long as we’re here... as long, as we have this, how could I leave? How could I forfeit the best thing that has ever happened to me?”

Akane tears up. Her chest feels tight and warm, bright like a candle has been lit inside her.

“I will never leave you, Akane. I’ll stay, for as long as you’ll have me. As long as I’m me and as long as you’re you. And even, even if that were to change—I’ll find you again. Whatever we might wake up. In whatever universe that might be. That’s just what I do; I search for you; I find you; I fight to stay with you. Because this—”

“Is where I belong,” she finishes. Her voice is so light, so small, she fears her words might never reach him. But he smiles against her hair.

“Exactly. And just for now, just here, in this timeline—it’s all over. We get to sleep. We get to dream. We’re here. Together.” His hand moves in the darkness, lacing his fingers with hers. She raises their joined hands to her lips.

“Together,” she repeats.

The word sounds precious to her. Sacred. She tucks it safe within her heart, marveling at the miracle. A thousand timelines where they don’t even meet. Another thousand where they die. A million where they break apart. But right here, right now. They are okay. They get to sleep. And so Akane closes her eyes and leaves behind the thought of fire. Of burning. She dreams instead of a white veil dragging on the sandy beach. She dreams of Carlos’ ill-concealed tears. She dreams of flowers, white and yellowish, swirling through the air as she throws the bouquet. She dreams, for once, about what might happen once it is all over. Hopes.


End file.
